The Life and Death of North American Rail Freight Electrification

Abstract

Although completely dieselized today aside from certain commuter and intercity passenger routes, U.S. railroads were world leaders in electrification in the early 20th century. The Pennsylvania Railroad and the Milwaukee Road had the most extensive electrifications, but several other railroads electrified largely for freight service. This paper explores the decisions to electrify freight railroads in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico (largely for short tunnels where steam locomotives were not practicable, mountain grades, and busy traffic districts), and why electrifications were discontinued (underpowered installations, aging electric infrastructure, and changes in ownership that made electrification geographically obsolete). Energy shortfalls and price spikes since the 1970s have provoked interest in electrification from freight railroads, but this interest has subsided whenever fuel prices decline. Although it is possible that environmental considerations may lead to electrification in some contexts, as long as fossil fuel prices remain low, electrification is unlikely to play a major role on North American railroads.

Commuter Rail Electrifications That Never Were and What They Teach Us

“…Arguing for electrification on environmental grounds, the study failed to identify an institutional champion. The freight railroads had little interest in electrification, as diesel fuel prices were largely stable following price spikes in the 1970s ( 31 ). Not even Metrolink and Amtrak combined operated enough trains to justify electrification.…”

Separating Poor Playmates: Untangling Commuter Rail from Freight

“…The Trenton Cutoff did not keep all freights away from Philadelphia’s suburban territory; freights between Harrisburg and Philadelphia continued to use the commuter-heavy Main Line (now named the Paoli-Thorndale Line). However, the cutoff did keep freights between Harrisburg and New Jersey away from lines used by Philadelphia commuter trains until its use fell off starting in the early 1980s owing to larger changes in Northeastern rail freight ( 30 p. 171). Today, it serves as a secondary line for Norfolk Southern, but before Conrail moved freights away from the ex-PRR and onto lines inherited from the Lehigh Valley and the Reading Company, it was a major freight artery.…”